Heat dissipation device having a fan holder for attachment of a fan

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipation device includes a heat sink, a fan and a fan holder attaching the fan to the heat sink. The heat sink includes a base and a plurality of fins. The fan includes a frame and four engaging flanges at a periphery thereof. The fan holder includes a supporting board supporting the fan thereon, a plurality of spaced retaining plates extending downwardly from a periphery edge of the supporting board and clasping the fins, two locking sheets extending upwardly from two diagonal corners of the supporting board and two locking poles extending upwardly from another two diagonal corners of the supporting board. The locking sheets abut against lateral sides of two engaging flanges of the fan. The locking poles are engagingly received in another two engaging flanges of the fan.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a heat dissipation device and, more particularly, to a heat dissipation device incorporating a fan for dissipating heat generated by an electronic device. The heat dissipation device has a fan holder for attachment of the fan to the heat dissipation device.

2. Description of Related Art

It is well known that operation of computer electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs) generates large amounts of heat. The heat must be quickly removed from the electronic device to prevent it from becoming unstable or being damaged. Typically, a heat sink is attached to an outer surface of the electronic device to absorb heat from the electronic device, and the heat absorbed by the heat sink is then dissipated to ambient air.

Generally, in order to improve heat dissipation efficiency of a heat sink, a fan is used to provide forced airflow to the heat sink. Usually, the fan is mounted to the heat sink directly or via a fan holder. Conventionally, the heat sink mainly comprises a heat-conducting base for contacting the heat generating electronic device and a plurality of heat dissipating fins extending from one face of the base. Typically, the fan is secured either on the heat sink or the fan holder by a plurality of screws. The fan defines a plurality of fixing holes corresponding to the screw threads of the heat sink or the fan holder. The pluralities of screws are engagingly received in the fixing holes of the fan and the screw threads of the heat sink or the fan holder, thereby attaching the fan to the heat sink. In this way, the fan can be mounted on the heat sink via a number of screws. However, complexities arise when installing the fan to the heat sink by using multiple screws which require a screwdriver to be fixed in place, as it may slip and damage nearby electronic components.

What is needed, therefore, is a heat dissipation device incorporating a fan holder by which a fan can be easily mounted on a heat sink of the heat dissipation device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiment. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an assembled view of a heat dissipation device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the heat dissipation device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an inverted view of a fan holder of the heat dissipation device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the heat dissipation device similar to FIG. 1, but having a portion thereof cut away for purpose of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a heat dissipation device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The heat dissipation device comprises a heat sink 10, a fan holder 20 located on a top of the heat sink 10, and a fan 30 fastened to a top of the fan holder 20.

The heat sink 10 comprises a base plate 12, a group of first fins 14 perpendicularly arranged on the base plate 12, two groups of second fins 16 respectively attached to two opposite lateral sides of the first fins 14 and a plurality of heat pipes 18 thermally connecting the first and second fins 14, 16 and the base plate 12. The base plate 12 is made of metallic material with good heat conductivity such as aluminum or copper. The base plate 12 is rectangular in shape and has four mounting legs 120 extending outwardly and diagonally from four corners thereof. Each mounting leg 120 has a fixture 100 extending therethrough for mounting the heat dissipation device to a heat-generating electronic component (not shown) mounted on a printed circuit board (not shown). Each fixture 100 includes a bolt (not labeled) extending through the mounting leg 120 and a spring (not labeled) compressed between the mounting leg 120 and a head of the bolt.

The first fins 14 are parallel to two opposite lateral sides of the base plate 12 and spaced from each other with a constant distance to form a plurality of air passages (not labeled) therebetween. The second fins 16 are parallel to the first fins 14 and shorter than the first fins 14; thus, four cutouts (not labeled) are defined in four corners of the heat sink 10, respectively. Each second fin 16 defines two nicks (not labeled) at two opposite vertical edges thereof. The nicks at the same vertical edges of each group of the second fins 16 are arranged in a line parallel to the base plate 12 to form an engaging slot 160 for fixing the fan holder 20 on the heat sink 10. Top ends of the first and second fins 14, 16 cooperate with each other to define a concaved guiding face 19 at a top of the heat sink 10. The guiding face 19 is downwardly recessed gradually from two opposite ends of the fins 14, 16 toward the middle of the fins 14, 16 for facilitating airflow generated by the fan 30 to flow downwardly into the middle of the heat sink 10.

The heat pipes 18 are U-shaped configuration and have evaporating sections (not labeled) embedded in the base plate 12, condensing sections (not labeled) perpendicularly extending through the first and second fins 14, 16 and connecting sections (not labeled) interconnecting the parallel condensing and evaporating sections. The fan 30 has an annular frame 32 which has four pairs of engaging flanges 34 extending outwardly and symmetrically from a periphery of the annular frame 32. The engaging flanges 34 of each pair of the engaging flanges 34 are separated from each other and respectively coplanar with a top and a bottom of the annular frame 32. Each engaging flange 34 defines a mounting hole 340 therein for fixing the fan 30 onto the fan holder 20.

Also referring to FIG. 3, the fan holder 20 is integrally formed of a resilient material, such as plastic, and comprises a supporting board 22, four spaced retaining plates 24 extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the supporting board 22, a plurality of side plates 26 extending downwardly from the peripheral edge of the supporting board 22, two locking sheets 27 extending upwardly from a top surface of the supporting board 22 and two locking poles 28 extending upwardly from the top surface of the supporting board 22.

The supporting board 22 is rectangular and defines four rectangular cutouts at four corners thereof corresponding to the four cutouts of the heat sink 10. The supporting board 22 defines a through hole 220 in a central part thereof, allowing the airflow generated by the fan 30 to pass therethrough to blow the heat sink 10. The retaining plates 24 and the side plates 26 are all perpendicular to the supporting board 22. The retaining plates 24 are parallel to each other, extend downwardly from the four corners of the supporting board 22 and located between the side plates 26. Each retaining plates 24 has a hook 240 extending inwardly from a lower end thereof for being engagingly received in the corresponding engaging slot 160 of the heat sink 10 to fasten the fan holder 20 onto the heat sink 10. The side plates 26 are designed to properly receive an upper portion of the heat sink 10 therein, when the supporting board 22 is placed on the guiding face 19 of the heat sink 10.

The locking sheets 27 and the locking poles 28 are perpendicular to the supporting board 22, wherein the two locking sheets 27 are located adjacent to one pair of diagonal corners of the supporting board 22. The two locking poles 28 are located adjacent to another pair of diagonal corners of the supporting board 22.

Each locking pole 28 corresponds to a mounting hole 340 of the fan 30 and has a circular barb 280 formed at an upper end thereof. The two locking poles 28 are correspondent to the mounting holes 340 in two diametrically opposite ones of four lower engaging flanges 34. A vertical slot 282 is defined in an upper portion of the locking pole 28 to make the barb 280 capable of elastic deformation. Each locking sheet 27 is for abutting against and engaging a lateral side of a correspondent engaging flange 34 of the fan 30 and has a wedge-shaped locking tab 270 protruding inwardly from an upper portion thereof. An inclined face (not labeled) is defined at a top of the locking tab 270 for facilitating the lateral side of the correspondent engaging flange 34 of the fan 30 to move downwardly over the locking tab 270 and be locked beneath the locking tab 270. The two locking sheets 27 are correspondent to two other diametrically opposite ones of the four lower engaging flanges 34. The fan holder 20 has two oppositely spaced sustaining plates 29 extending downwardly from the supporting board 22. Each of the sustaining plates 29 is positioned amid two retaining plates 24. The sustaining plates 29 are rested on the middle of the guiding face 19 of the heat sink 10 to hold the fan holder 20 in place.

In use, the fan holder 20 is placed on the heat sink 10 with the side plates 26 of the fan holder 20 receiving the upper portion of the heat sink 10 therein. The fan holder 26 is pressed downwardly to make the hooks 240 of the retaining plates 24 of the fan holder 20 engagingly received in the engaging slots 160 of the heat sink 10 and the sustaining plates 29 of the fan holder 20 rested on the middle of the guiding face 19 of the heat sink 10, thereby fastening the fan holder 20 onto the heat sink 10.

The fan 30 is then placed on the fan holder 20 with the two locking poles 28 respectively in alignment with the two mounting holes 340 of the two diametrically opposite engaging flanges 34 of the fan 30, and the locking sheets 27 in alignment with the two lateral sides of the other two diametrically opposite engaging flanges 34 of the fan 30. The fan 30 is finally assembled to the fan holder 20 by pressing the fan 30 toward the fan holder 20 to make the barbs 280 of the locking poles 28 of the fan holder 20 to deform and extend through the corresponding mounting holes 340 of the fan 30 to engage with tops of the corresponding engaging flanges 34. Moreover, the engaging tabs 270 of the locking sheets 27 of the fan holder 20 engage tops of the corresponding engaging flanges 34 of the fan 30.

According to the above description of the disclosure, either assembling the fan 30 to the fan holder 20 or fastening the fan holder 20 to the heat sink 10 can be easily completed by simply pressing the fan holder 20 toward the heat sink 10 and the fan 30 toward the fan holder 20. Accordingly, the fan 30 is easily and conveniently to assemble to the heat sink 10 via the fan holder 20 by simple operation without the necessity of using any tool.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A fan holder adapted for attaching a fan to a heat sink, the fan holder comprising: a supporting board adapted for supporting the fan thereon; a plurality of spaced retaining plates extending downwardly from a periphery edge of the supporting board and adapted for clasping the heat sink to fasten the fan holder onto the heat sink; two locking sheets extending upwardly from two diagonal corners of the supporting board and adapted for abutting against two lateral sides of two corresponding engaging flanges formed at a periphery of the fan; and two locking poles extending upwardly from another two diagonal corners of the supporting board and adapted for being engagingly received in another two corresponding engaging flanges formed at the periphery of the fan.
 2. The fan holder of claim 1, wherein each retaining plate has a hook extending inwardly from a lower end thereof, the hook adapted for engagingly received in a corresponding slot formed at a side of the heat sink.
 3. The fan holder of claim 1, wherein each locking sheet has a locking tab which extends inwardly from an upper end of the each locking sheet and is adapted for engaging a top of one of the two corresponding engaging flanges of the fan.
 4. The fan holder of claim 3, wherein the each locking sheet defines an inclined face at a top of the locking tab adapted for facilitating the one of the two corresponding engaging flanges of the fan to move downwardly over the locking tab and be held under the locking tab.
 5. The fan holder of claim 1, wherein each locking pole has a barb formed at an upper end thereof, the barb being adapted for extending through one of the another two corresponding engaging flanges of the fan to engage with a top thereof.
 6. The fan holder of claim 5, wherein the each locking pole defines a slot through an upper portion thereof to make the barb capable of elastic deformation to extend through a mounting hole defined in the one of the another two corresponding engaging flanges.
 7. The fan holder of claim 1, wherein a plurality of side plates extend downwardly from the periphery edge of the supporting board and cooperative with the retaining plates to receive an upper portion of the heat sink therein.
 8. A heat dissipation device comprising: a heat sink comprising a base and a plurality of fins arranged on the base; a fan comprising a frame which have four symmetrical engaging flanges at a periphery thereof, and a fan holder for attaching the fan to the heat sink, comprising a supporting board supporting the fan thereon, a plurality of spaced retaining plates extending downwardly from a periphery edge of the supporting board, two locking sheets extending upwardly from two diagonal corners of the supporting board and two locking poles extending upwardly from another two diagonal corners of the supporting board; wherein the retaining plates clasp opposite ends of the fins of the heat sink to fasten the fan holder to the heat sink, the locking sheets abut against lateral sides of two corresponding engaging flanges of the fan, and the locking poles are engagingly received in another two engaging flanges of the fan.
 9. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, wherein each retaining plate has a hook which extends inwardly from a lower end thereof and is engagingly received in an engaging slot formed in one of the ends of the fins.
 10. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, wherein each locking sheet has a locking tab which extends inwardly from an upper end of the each locking sheet and engages a top of one of the two corresponding engaging flanges of the fan.
 11. The heat dissipation device of claim 10, wherein the each locking sheet defines an inclined face at a top of the locking tab for facilitating the one of the two corresponding engaging flange of the fan to move downwardly over the locking tab and be held under the locking tab.
 12. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, wherein each locking pole has a barb formed at upper end thereof, the barb extending through a mounting hole formed in one of the another two corresponding engaging flanges of the fan to engage a top thereof.
 13. The heat dissipation device of claim 12, wherein the each locking pole defines a slot through an upper portion thereof to make the barb capable of elastic deformation to extend through the mounting hole.
 14. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, wherein a plurality of side plates extend downwardly from the periphery edge of the supporting board and cooperative with the retaining plates to receive an upper portion of the fins therein.
 15. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, wherein a top end of the fins defines a concave guiding face which are downwardly recessed gradually from two opposite ends of the fins toward the middle of the fins for facilitating airflow generated by the fan to flow downwardly into the heat sink.
 16. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, wherein two oppositely spaced sustaining plates extend downwardly from the supporting board, and each sustaining plate is positioned amid two corresponding retaining plate and rests on the guiding face of the heat sink to hold the fan holder in place. 